Recently I had the pleasure of welcoming Year 2 children from Y
sgol Tudno to Holy Trinity Church.We spent some of the time during the
visit looking at the nativity windows in the apse at the east end of
the church.Working from left to right, the children had no problem
recognising what the first window portrayed - they could see Mary and
Joseph and the infant Jesus lying in his manger, not to mention the cow
and the donkey in the background. So they knew that this window
represented the birth of Christ.The second window was easy for them too
- the children soon identified the Magi with their gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh.
But when we looked at the third window the children were stumped.They
could see Mary and Joseph, but who was the old man holding Jesus in his
arms and what about the old lady standing beside him? I wasn't
surprised that they had no idea what event was being portrayed here -
after all it doesn't normally figure in school nativity plays!
This third window portrays of course the Presentation of Christ in the
Temple. This was the occasion when Our Lady and St. Joseph fulfilled
the requirements of the Mosaic Law on the fortieth day after his birth
by offering their first born son to God, bringing with them the poor
man's offering of two turtledoves or pigeons to redeem him (in the
window these are shown in a small cage at the front of the scene). In
the Temple they met the aged Simeon who had believed for many years
that he wouldn't die before seeing the Christ - and recognised Jesus as
such when he saw him in the Temple. Simeon uttered the words we now
know as the Nunc Dimittis as he took Jesus in his arms: 'Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart
in peace according to thy word'. An old lady - Anna - who had
also been waiting for the Christ to come - also praised God.
The Presentation of Christ (also known as Candlemas) is celebrated
liturgically on Sunday 2nd February.You may think that Christmas is
many weeks behind us but in fact because this is the last event in St.
Luke's nativity narrative it is only with the Feast of the Presentation
that the Christmas/Epiphany season finally comes to an end.
This feast is full of meaning.The offering of Christ in the Temple
foreshadows his crucifixion. Indeed Simeon warns Mary that 'Behold this
child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a
sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce your own soul also)'. So
as well as marking the end of Christmas, the Presentation also looks
forward to Lent, Holy Week and Easter. We see that as Christians we are
offered to God together with Our Lord and must be prepared to follow
his Way of the Cross.
But this is also a Feast of Light. Because of Simeon's words that Jesus
is 'a light for revelation to the
Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel' it became the
custom to process with candles on the feast of the Presentation (hence
'Candlemas'). Jesus is the light which has come into the world - a
light in which we can share and which we are called to take to others.
Have a good look at the Presentation Window and reflect upon the wonder
of this event. I look forward to celebrating this great feast with you
all.
